Palmer ISD Moving Forward With Guns In School

PALMER (CBSDFW.COM) – “It’s sad that it has come to this but that’s the world we live in,” said school board member Tim Birdwell moments before the Palmer Independent School District board voted unanimously to allow selected staff members to carry concealed handguns on campus.

“It’s not going to be ‘anyone that wants to carry come see me and I’ll give you permission,'” said Superintendent Kevin Noack.

Noack said, while specific guidelines have not been figured out, only a select few will be allowed to carry. He added that they will have to undergo extensive training, and only he and the local police department will know who those staff members are.

Palmer ISD, a rural district of around 1,100 students southeast of Dallas, has been in discussion about allowing staff members to carry concealed handguns ever since the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting.

Dallas Independent School District Police Chief Craig Miller, who is helping design the training for the state’s School Marshal Program, said that districts need to be careful before allowing guns onto campuses. “This is much more difficult than putting a gun in someone’s hands and saying protect kids,” he said. “I think you need to take a step back and think about what you are doing.”

Brian joined the CBS 11 News team in 2013 after working as an investigative reporter for the CBS affiliate in San Antonio. While in South Texas, he was honored with six Lone Star Emmys, including one for his work along the U.S.-Mexico border....